Machine for making cementitious blocks



Dec. 21, 1954 D, M, VAN ORNUM ETAL 2,597,263

MACHINE FOR MAKING CEMENTITIOUS BLOCKS Filed Oct. 18, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

David M. Van Ornum and By James $.Von Ornum ATTORNEY Dec. 21, 1954 |3 M, VAN QRNUM ETAL 2,697,263

MACHINE FOR MAKING CEMBNTITIOUS BLOCKS Filed Oct. 18, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; David M. Van Ornum and By James S. Van Ornum 2/ 2/4 ATTORNEY 1954 D. M. VAN ORNUM E'I'AL 2,697,263

MACHINE FOR MAKING CEMENTITIOUS BLOCKS, Filed 001'.- 18) 1948 5 shee'ts 'sheet 3 INVENTOR. Dov id M. Van Ornum and By James S; VGn Ornum ATTORNEY Dec. 21, 1954 D. M. VAN ORNUM ET AL MACHINE FOR MAKING CEMENTITIOUS BLOCKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 18, 1948 F l G. '5 8 INVENTOR. David M. Van Ornum and By James S. Van Qrnum ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,697,263 MACHINE FOR MAKING CEMENTITIOUS BLOCKS David M. Van Ornum, Colorado Springs, Colo., and James S. Van Ornum, Westmont, N. J.

Application October 18, 1948, Serial No. 55,212 3 Claims. (Cl. 2541) This invention relates to machines for producing molded products of plastic materials such as concrete building blocks, insulating blocks, wall tiles and other analagous products.

In concrete block-making machines wherein the blocks are formed in a mold box, a presser head is commonly used to compact the cementitious material and force the block from the mold in some cases accompanied by vibration to aid in compacting. This frequently results in destruction of the block or deformation with a resulting variation in dimensions.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a machine for molding improved cementitious blocks of uniform dimensions, density and texture. The resulting blocks are further distinguished by a lack of voids, smooth plane surfaces and clean sharp corners.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a machine for molding cementitious blocks wherein the blocks are formed in a mold box with vibration and relatively light pressure from a spudding head above the mold box and the blocks are stripped from the mold box primarily by vibration with the spudding head. serving to maintain accurately the vertical dimensions.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of the character described wherein vibration in substantially vertical and horizontal planes is utilized in forming the blocks and vibration in a substantially horizontal plane only is utilized for stripping the blocks from the mold.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a machine of the class described, designed and arranged for convenience of operation, maximum production and general efficiency.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and from the accompanying drawings illustrating one preferred form of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation with parts broken away showing the mold box resting on the pallet perch assembly and the spudding head in the extreme upper position.

2 is a front elevation with the parts as shown in 1g.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the mold box under the hopper for filling.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the spudding head resting on the material in the mold box at the lower limit of its travel.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the mold box raised and the stripped blocks resting on the pallet.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the spudding head and mold box in their extreme upper positions and a new pallet in position.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the mold box and carriage with parts broken away.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of the piping, control valves, vibrators and operating cylinders.

Referring to the drawings in detail the numeral 10 indicates the main frame. Spaced above the main frame 10 is the head frame 12 supported by the vertical head frame brace 14 and the cylindrical head masts 16.

Horizontal carriage assembly A horizontal carriage assembly 18 (Figs. 1, 2 and 7) is mounted for horizontal longitudinal movement on the main frame 10. The horizontal carriage comprises frame members 20 through which extends shaft 22 having mounted thereon rollers 24. Channels tudinally on main frame 10 form a guide for rollers 24.

26 mounted longi- 8 0 block with extreme A pallet perch 28 is mounted on the forward end of carriage 18 by flexible supports 30 secured to frame members 20. The pallet perch can be adjusted vertically by nuts 32. Flanges 34 and center rest 36 provide a support for the removable pallet 38. Pins 40 secured to flanges 34 serve to align the mold box in a manner to be described subsequently.

A vertical vibrator 42 is secured directly to the pallet perch 28 as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The flexible supports 30 minimize transmittal of vibration to the main frame 10.

A carriage table 44 is secured to the rearward end of carriage 18 by uprights 46.

A horizontal cylinder 48 actuates the carriage 18, the piston rod 50 being secured to a flange 52 on the bottom of the carriage 18. Horizontal travel adjustment rods 54 are secured to main frame 10 at one end and extend through flange 52 with nuts 56 adjacent the other end to limit horizontal travel forward and align the pallet perch 28 with the mold box.

Mold box assembly A mold box 58 is moved vertically by a pair of carriage assemblies 60 which comprise side plates 62 having rollers 64 therebetween engaging the head masts 16. A horizontal lifting plate 66 is secured to each pair of side plates 62 and engages adjusting screws 68 which extend through the upper flanges 70 on the mold box 58. The lower flanges 72 have holes (not shown) which are aligned with pins 40 and serve to align the mold box 58 and the pallet perch 28 when the mold box 58 is lowered onto the pallet 38. The carriage assemblies 60 are actuated vertically by a cylinder 74 having a piston rod 76 secured to a yoke 78. Adjustable lifting rods 80 at one end extend through opposite ends of cross bar 82 on yoke 78 and at the other ends are secured to lifting plates 66. The vertical travel of the mold box carriage assembly is limited in a downward direction by adjustment of nuts 84 on rods 80. Adjusting screws 68 are set so that the mold box comes to rest on the pallet perch just prior to the end of the movement of the carriage-assemblies 60 and lifting plates 66, and a slight clearance is provided between the lower ends of adjusting screws 68 and the lifting plate 66. This allows free horizontal movement of the mold box 58 on the horizontal carriage-assembly. A plurality of cores and portion plates (not shown) may be provided in the mold box 58 to form a plurality of blocks of any desired shape. These are held in position in the mold box by means of core bars 81.

On opposite sides of the mold box are mounted a pair of substantially horizontal vibrators 83 and 85. While one horizontal vibrator could be used in the preferred embodiment shown the two vibrators are inclined slightly at opposite angles to eliminate resonance. The vibrator 83 is inclined upwardly and forwardly, while the vibrator 85 is inclined downwardly and forwardly.

spudding head assembly A spudding head assembly 86 is mounted for vertical movement by a cylinder 88 which has a cylinder rod 90 connected to the spudding head plate 92. Interchangeable spuds 94 are adapted to be secured to the head plate 92 by bolts 96 and are shaped to conform substantially in cross section to the section of the blocks being formed except for the spaces 98 which provide for the upward movement of core bars 81.

A pair of carriage assemblies 100 comprising rollers 102 mounted for rotation between plates 104 engage the head mast 16 and are connected to the spudding head plate 92 to guide the vertical movement of the spudding head assembly.

Adjusting rods 106 extend vertically from the head plate 92 through holes in cross members (not shown) on the head frame 12 and have nuts 108 which are adapted to adjustably limit the downward movement of the spudding head assembly 86 by engagement with head frame 12. This adjustment controls the height of the formed accuracy in a manner to be described later in more detail.

Spud wiper assembly A spud wiper assembly is mounted on the forward end of the mold box 58 by means of a pair of plates 112- bolted to thev mold box at 114.. A-pair of vertical arms 116 slotted at 118 are. bolted to the plates 112' and support a transverse-wiper element 120 preferably having bristles 122-along the upper. edge. The vertical; arms116 are adjusted byrneans ofslots118 so that the bristles'122 contact and wipe-the lower surfaces of spuds 94-during horizontal movement of the moldbox 58.

Hopper assembly The hopper assembly 1214 consists: of a separate framework 126 on which the hopper 128 is adjustably mounted by means of adjusting screws-138, 132 and 134; The hopper 128 is adjusted so that-the lower edge136 is parallel and spaced slightly: above: the upper surfaces. of table 44- and mold-abox 58.

An interchangeable strike-off plate 138 is bolted at 140 to brackets 142 which maybe securedto the sides of hopper-128 by welding or other suitable means. The hopper may be filled with a suitable cementitious mixture 129 by any conventional loading or feeding means (not shown).

Ofibearer fork assembly An offbeat-er fork assembly 144- (Fig. 1) is rotatably mounted in pivots-146' and148 which are rigidly mounted on an upright 150ofhead frame 12.

The offbearer' boom 15-2isrmounted' in pivot 146- and extends outwardly-supported by brace 15-4; A Y shaped memberr156-formed of tubular material is set in post 158 which is rotatably' mountedin pivot 148; A vertical leg 160 and a diagonal leg-162 extend upwardly to further support boom 152. Tubular leg 162 also serves as a conduit between a'supplyline 164 and a flexible hose 166.

A universal joint 1'68 mounted on the outer end of boom 152; is connected to one end of a piston rod The other end of rodf170 is connected to av piston (not shown) operably mounted in cylinder 172.

Sleeve 174* on which are rigidly mounted the offbearer fork 17 6. and handle 178 is adjustably bolted on the cylinder172; As shown. more clearlyin Fig. 8 a control valve ltmjmounted on the handle 178 has its inlet 181 connected to flexible hose 166 and its one outlet 182 connectedthrough a T183 to line 184to the upper end of cylinder 172 to raise the offbearer fork 176. The T 183 also leadsthrough line 185 to'an exhaust valve 186 for lowering th'e oifbearer fork 1'76.

Piping and" controls The piping and controls for the cylinders and vibrators isabest .shown'in the:schematicydiagranr-of Fig. 8.

Any suitableefiuid. under pressure such-as compressed air. isadmittedthrough line-.-2l)tl and. a suitable lubricant is'rnixed therewith in an oiler 202. The supply line branches M204, one line 206. going to aheader 208. and theotherlineZlO passing. downwardly through one head mast 16 and thence. to..control valve212.

Control valve 212 'is' operated by a foot pedal 214 which when depressed allows air togo directly to the horizontal vibrators83 and 85 through lines 216and 218 respectively. A. third line 220 is connected to the inlet of a control valve 222 operated by a foot pedal 224; When pedal 224 isdepressed simultaneously with foot pedal 214'airpasses through line 226 to the vertical vibrator 42.

Header 208 supplies air through line 228 to control valve-234 which hasa control handle 236, an exhaust line 238-, a line 240 going to the forward end of horizontal cylinder 48 and a line 242...going to the. after end of horizontal cylinder 48.

Header 208 also supplies air through line 244-to control valve 246 which has a control handle 24?, an exhaust line 256,1 line-252-going to the lower end ofspudding head cylinder 88, and a line 254 going to the upper end of spudding head cylinder 88-.

Another line256from header.2l)8 supplies air to control valve258which has a control handle 260, an exhaust line 262, a line 264 going to the lower end of mold box vertical cylinder 74, and line 266 going to the upper end of mold box vertical cylinder 76.

Line 164 from header-208is connected to conduit 162 and through control valve operates'offbearer-cylinder 172 as previously described.

4-. Operation In the operation of the machine, a pallet 38 is first placed on the pallet perch 28 while the machine is in the final rest position shown in Fig. 6.

The first step in the operation is to lower the mold box 58 onto the pallet 38 and pallet perch assembly 28 in the position shown in Figs; 1? and 2 by manual operationof. control knob. 260. actuating rod 76 in cylinder 74. A shortblast of vibration will assure proper seating of the mold box.

The second step in. the operation, assuming that the hopper 128has been filled with a suitable cementitious mixture, is to move. theshorizontal carriage assembly 18 carrying mold box 58 rearwardly until the mold box is under the hopper 'as shown in Fig.3.. The horizontal carriage is actuated by manual operation of control handle 236 in one direction moving piston 50 forwardly in cylinder 48. During this movement the bristles 122 engage the lower surface ofspuds 94cleaning off any material adhering thereto.

While the mold'box 58is under'th'e hopper 128 the control handle 236 is moved successively in opposite directions for a brief interval causingthe moldv box to reciprocate under the hopper, and both foot pedals214'. and 224-are depressed simultaneously, for brief intervals to causea short burst of vibration by. both horizontal vibrators 83' and 85} and he. vertical vibrator, 42. The action of the vibrators and reciprocation oftthe mold box serves to compact the material. and. assist free flow of the cementitiousrnaterial frornthe hopper into the mold box.

Thethird step. in the operation when the molds are full. is to. move thehorizontalcarri'age assembly carrying filled mold" box 58". backv to the position. shown in Figs..l and..2.by operation of control handle 236 in the opposite. direction...

The fourth step .is to. lower the spudding head assembly 86', by operation of control handle 248. causing piston rod 9010v move. downwardly in cylinder 88. When the spuds'..94.are in contact with-the material in the mold box both foot pedals .214'anrl. 224 are again depressed for brief intervals causing short. bursts of vibration by horizontal vibrators .83Iand 85' and. vertical vibrator 42.

This. action 1s continued until the adjusting nuts 108. on

,' the. vertical. adjusting. rods. 106. have-seated on. the head frame 121. as .shown..-in. Fig. 4... By stopping the vibration immediately when the nuts 108- touch the head frame 12. the. height dimension-of. the. block. is .maintained accurately and. blocks. of uniform..- dimensionsv and. density will result.

The fifth step is to raise the mold box .58. byop eration of control-handle.v 260. while. simultaneouslyoperating the. horizontal.;vibrators. only by. depressing. foot pedal 214. This will stripzthe. block:v 268 cleanly, from the mold box 58 without deformation or-destruction of'the block When: the .blockz268 is .strippedt.-and the: upper surface of mold box-58 is :matedwith the. lower-surface of spudding-head plate. 92..leaving thefor-med .block resting on the. pallet 38 assshown in Fig.5, the mold box will stop in its upward movement until the control handle 248 isaalso. .moveduirr the: :other direction.

This is the sixth step which will cause the mold box 58: and spudding head 86-. toemove. upwardly together until the. mold box reachesthe upperv limit I of its movement. The spudding headtlwillthen continueit-s'movement upwardly-out et thet mold-boxuntilit too has reached i-ts::upperlimittasrshown inrFigg 6. Thisisthe final orv rest. ppsitiona In the seventh andzlasttstep the off bearer fork. assembly 144 is manually shifted-by;handles.1781-and the control;- 180 sis. operatedto' raise cylinder- 17 2. and. bring'the fork 176 into position for insert-ion of the fork under pallet 38'. The fork-1is raisedtsufficient-ly to .lift the pallet 38 carrying blocksr2'68toif thepallet perch. assembly 28. Theofiibearenforkassembly 144-is then: swung. away from the machine :and the: :palleta-nd ;blocks are. deposited on any-suitable supportisuchuas-a. truck: by loweringnthe cylinder: 172. :through manipulation of control 180.-

It is thus seen'that a machine has been .provided which carries out the objects of this invention in a novel manner and an improved method'of'rna-kingtcementitious blocks has also "been disclosed;

What. 'we claim; andzdesireato secure by letters patent 1.. In: armachine of ..the .class described :a first 'Lcarriage 85 mountedii for 2 horizontal..- movementzbetween a forward and a rearward position, a pallet perch flexibly mounted at the forward end of said first carriage, an air pressure operated vertical vibrator attached directly to the pallet perch, and a horizontal table mounted at the rearward end of said first carriage, a second carriage mounted for vertical movement, a mold box arranged for vertical movement by said second carriage between an upper position and a lower position resting on said pallet perch while said first carriage is in its forward position, a material supply hopper mounted above said table in the forward position of said first carriage, said mold box being also arranged for horizontal movement on said flexibly mounted pallet perch from said lower position to a rearward position below said hopper, said horizontal table being adapted to receive said mold box at predetermined times.

2. In a machine of the class described a first carriage mounted for horizontal movement between a forward and a rearward position, a pallet perch flexibly mounted at the forward end of said first carriage, an air pressure operated vertical vibrator attached directly to the pallet perch for vibrating the same, and a horizontal table mounted at the rearward end of said first carriage, a second carriage mounted for vertical movement, a mold box arranged for vertical movement by said second carriage between an upper position and a lower position resting on said pallet perch while said first carriage is in its forward position, a material supply hopper mounted above said table in the forward position of said first carriage, said mold box being also arranged for horizontal movement on said flexibly mounted pallet perch from said lower position to a rearward position below said hopper, and a spudding head mounted above said mold box for vertical movement relative thereto, said horizontal table being adapted to receive said mold box at predetermined times.

3. In a machine for forming building blocks, a first carriage mounted for horizontal movement between a forward and a rearward position, a pallet perch flexibly mounted at the forward end of said first carriage and a horizontal table mounted at the rearward end of said first carriage, a second carriage mounted for vertical movement, a rectangular mold box arranged for vertical movement by said second carriage between an upper position and a lower position resting on said pallet perch while said first carriage is in its forward position, a materal supply hopper mounted above said table in the forward position of said first carriage, said mold box being also arranged for horizonal movement on said pallet perch from said lower position to a rearward position below said hopper, and a spudding head mounted above said mold box for vertical movement relative thereto, a vertical air pressure operated vibrator mounted on said pallet perch and a substantially horizontal vibrator mounted on each side of said rectangular mold box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 665,163 Bass et al. Jan. 1, 1901 783,442 Lawrence Feb. 28, 1905 1,320,471 Jackson et al. Nov. 4, 1919 1,347,484 Brown July 20, 1920 1,884,528 Benner et al. Oct. 25, 1932 1,905,975 Thomas Apr. 25, 1933 1,987,721 Straub Jan. 15, 1935 2,366,780 Gelbman et al. Jan. 9, 1945 2,382,458 Williams et a1 Aug. 14, 1945 2,407,168 Linkdvist Sept. 3, 1946 2,413,109 Leipold et al. Dec. 24, 1946 2,431,034 Gelbman Nov. 18, 1947 2,466,339 Turner Apr. 5, 1949 2,512,117 Sims June 20, 1950 

